Proverbs 31 is undoubtedly one of the most quoted scriptures from women in the Bible. King Lemuel wrote Proverbs 31 inspired from the words his mother taught him on what a noble wife should be—but a wife, or not, every woman can discover how God wants each one of us to aspire to become a Proverbs 31 woman.
In this article, we are going to be breaking down the verses and exploring the five key things you can learn
from this scripture.
1. Faithfulness
One of the most popular verses, Proverbs 31:25 says, “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.”
Although you might have seen this quote in an Instagram biography or possibly even printed on a t-shirt have you ever stopped to think what this verse truly meant? It radiates in faithfulness.
This ‘woman’ is clothed in strength—not weakness. Mark 14:38 reminds us that “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak” so if we are clothed in strength, our spirit is strong and striving after the Lord’s. We are not giving into fleshly desires such as worry and doubt for our strength is with the Lord.
The same concept is for dignity. Dignity is another word for being worthy of respect and who better to be respected that a woman who is seeking a heart after the Lord’s and who denies earthly things? This ‘woman’s’ faith is so great she can laugh without fear of what is to come tomorrow because she believes God will always provide.
Matthew 6:26 says “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”
The answer is YES. We are much more valuable and loved than the birds. God created us in his image and promised that he would always provide so where is our faith? Does it lie with the Lord or somewhere else? Let’s be women who have true faith as easy and as light as laughter.
2. Worth
A Proverbs 31 woman is a woman of value and worth. Verse 10 says “Who can find a virtuous and capable
wife? She is more precious than rubies.”
God is calling us to be moral and pure women—virtuous.
We should be following the Lord’s commandments and holding ourselves to the Lord’s standards, not the world’s. In today’s society women have lost a lot of their value for the sake of equality and fitting in, when the truth is that God did not call us to fit in—he called us to stand out in this world.
John 15:9 says “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.”
Ouch, hate is a strong word. Especially in the age of wanting to be accepted and liked for everything you do— but God laid all the cards on the table when he said that his love for you and his acceptance of you IS enough.
God tells us we are precious and we are worth it despite what the world says. How beautiful is it that the creator of the world thinks you are worth more than rubies? That you are valued and you are loved!
3. Strength
Something I love so much about this passage is how strong this woman is. Many people believe that Christian women are weak and dependent and less than men. The world has this idea that the bible preaches down to women when this is the complete opposite.
The Bible teaches women to be strong! Verses 16-18 say, “She goes to inspect a field and buys it; with her earnings, she plants a vineyard. She is energetic and strong, a hard worker. She makes sure her dealings are profitable; her lamp burns late into the night.”
Did you read that right? With HER earnings she inspects the field and buys it. She is energetic and strong—not just her husband. She makes sure dealings are profitable. That means she is the one handling money! All things you’ve probably heard against from stereotypes about Christian women. God wants us to be strong and provide.
Isaiah 40:31 says, “those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.” Place your desires in the Lord and you will gain strength and energy in God.“
4. Wisdom
Proverbs 31:26 says, “When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness.” The Bible speaks very highly of wisdom throughout many of the scriptures. In the reign of King Solomon, The Lord asked Solomon “ask what I shall give you” (1 Kings 3) and Solomon asked for an understanding mind, or wisdom.
God was pleased with Solomon and said “Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”
Did you see what God did? He knew Solomon’s heart and that Solomon sought out wisdom, and because Solomon asked for a spiritual gift and not a temporary earthly pleasure, God gave him above and beyond what he asked. If we are wise and serve God, God will bless us.
As good parents want the best for their children, a good Father wants the best for us. The Lord also is commanding us to be wise with kindness. To speak in love and gentleness and think before we speak—therefore having wisdom.
Just as Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
5. Inward Beauty
We all understand the concept that beauty does not last because we all understand aging. Yet, although we might understand that our youthfulness will one day fade into wrinkles, we are not truly grasping that everyone loses their youth.
If we did, there would not be a multi-million dollar cosmetic industry filled with plastic surgeries, anti-aging serum, and makeup products. Although there is nothing wrong with these products and procedures on the surface, there is something wrong with the obsession of our outward beauty.
When you find yourself spending your money on cosmetics before tithing to God, or even paying for groceries, then there lies a problem—a problem which many of us suffer from. But the beautiful thing is that the Lord is not concerned with your outward beauty like the world is. In fact, he made you in HIS image and thinks you are beautiful just the way you are.
To think that the God of the universe made us look like him is a compliment that will never live up to any other. Grasp that and hold it dear to your hearts! Proverbs 31:30 says “Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”
We should not seek or want to be praised for out temporary outward beauty, but for our eternal inward beauty. Our spirit should be made beautiful and should always be after the Lords. Fleeting literally translates to ‘lasting a very short time.’
The time we are alive on this earth is fleeting. Our looks are fleeting. Our things are fleeting. But our spirit in God is eternal, and goodness does I yearn for my spirit to be beautiful and everlasting.
So….
After reading these five things you can learn from Proverbs 31, apply them! The Bible is alive and breathing for us to hear Gods word and put what we have learned into action. Imagine if every woman realized she was worthy, and strong, and was a faithful steward to the Lord.
Our culture would act a lot differently than we currently do today. There is a reason Proverbs 31 is one of the most quoted scriptures and it is because our hearts yearn for its truth. Understand what you are called to do as a fearing woman of God and achieve it!
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